News

Iraqi Seasoning

—John A. Tirpak9/19/2014

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As Iraq’s completed
but undelivered F-16s sit waiting for Iraq and the US to decide what to do with
them, Iraq’s F-16 pilots continue to train in the US, Air Education and
Training Command chief Gen. Robin Rand said Wednesday. During a press
conference at AFA’s Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md., Rand
said the Iraqi pilots at Tucson International Airport, Ariz., continue to gain
experience and “seasoning” as “flight leads and wingmen.” Even though their
aircraft aren’t flying, the pilots “aren’t suffering, from a proficiency point
of view,” he said. Rand noted there are
a number of options available regarding Iraq’s F-16s, all of which have been
used by other international partners. The aircraft could be flown in the US by
the Iraqi pilots, similar to what Singapore does with its F-15s and F-16s, but
that would require “some kind of financial support on the maintenance,” Rand
observed. The Iraqis could take their jets home, as the UAE did after getting
its F-16E pilots experienced in the US; so far, that hasn’t been deemed safe
given the ISIS conflict. Or, they could fly them in a neighboring Middle East country
as guests. However, “thus far, they have not chosen to do that,” Rand said. The
choice will be made “above the Air Force” and is a “country-to-country decision,”
he observed.